The fabulous founder of Stylebook Directory, Sarah Yorke has been recognised as one of the best in the business after being named a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards!

Sarah is one of the shortlisted business leaders from across the nation to have been selected out of over 5,300 entrants – the most the awards has ever had. A well deserved announcement we think!

The Great British Entrepreneur Awards, in partnership with Starling Bank, acknowledges and champions the hard work and uplifting stories of business owners across the UK, with an emphasis on their journey and resilience over financial achievements.

Twelve awards will be given out per region for categories including Disruptor of the Year, Entrepreneur for Good Award, and the Great British Entrepreneur of the Year. Notable winners from previous years include Social Chain founder Steven Bartlett, who went on to become the youngest ever investor on BBC’s Dragon’s Den.

Sarah is super ecstatic about being shortlisted for such a fantastic award and is over the moon to have been selected out of thousands of entrants! She looks forward to attending the awards in autumn to build her ever-growing network and cheer on other fellow finalists too.

This year’s awards will also feature a brand new award highlighting the organisations investing in the training and development of young people. The John Caudwell Blaze Your Own Trail Award looks to recognise outstanding examples of businesses offering apprenticeships, vocational training, and diversity and inclusion initiatives, all in the name of improving young people’s access to work.

The winners will be announced at a Grand Final, held at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on 21st November.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. The alumni has collectively generated over £30 billion in revenue and employed more than 450,000 people.

To mark the milestone year for the programme, entrants will have the chance to win over £30,000 worth of marketing support and a tree will be planted for every application submitted with the support of Ecologi.

Founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Francesca James, said the quality of this year’s entrants exemplified the strength of entrepreneurship across the UK: “The quality of applications is consistently excellent year on year, but we have been especially blown away by the innovation, drive and determination demonstrated this year. Shortlisting from so many inspiring contenders has been more challenging than ever, with many deserving cases put forward and an ever-growing business community thriving across the country.

“From the pandemic to the ongoing cost of living crisis, business owners haven’t had it easy over the past few years, but it’s a testament to the tenacity and perseverance of these entrepreneurs that they have continued on their path and refused to give in.

“This year’s finalists should be so proud of what they’ve already achieved both in business and in being shortlisted for an award – we’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the Finals and unveiling the winners!”

Anne Boden MBE, Founder of Starling Bank, headline partner of the Awards, said: “Congratulations to all those businesses who have made the shortlist. It’s great to see the passion, resilience and amazing ingenuity from entrepreneurs across so many categories.” For the full list of finalists, visit greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com

Following a phenomenally successful and impactful O.P Awards 2021 the team is back this year with an even bigger and better O.P Hairshow & Awards 2022. Held on Sunday 25th September in the centre of Birmingham.

“The energy you put into what you do is the energy it will be received with,” – is a quote often used by Josh and never more relevant than when planning this event.

He said: “The O.P Hairshow 2022 will be an event like no other in the UK. An event dedicated to you. Each and every one of you. No sales, no vendors, no marketing, no gimmicks. Just pure, organic energy, education, information and inspiration. The O.P Hairshow is your day. To surround yourself with like-minded, motivated individuals. To network. To learn. To leave a more confident, determined and better you.”

The O.P Hairshow will consist of a full day’s education. Fully representative of Barber.josh.o.p Education in covering every single aspect of our industry:

– Cutting demonstrations – Long, Medium & Short hair. Modern & Classic. Scissor work, Fading, Styling and Creativity.

– Cutting theory presentations – The D.F.S Formula, Line Theory and much more.

– Business seminars

– Social media growth and marketing seminars

– Photography and content creation seminars

– Mindset and motivation seminars

– Self Study seminars

– Networking

Light refreshments will be provided.

This will then be followed by the second annual O.P Awards. Josh said: “Last year was an unbelievably powerful evening where our online academy members from across the globe came together for an evening of joy, inspiration and emotion. The evening was described by many members as ‘a family reunion’. All our finalists got the opportunity to take the stage and share their story, their journey and their inspirations and in doing so each finalist lit up and inspired the entire room. This year will not be the same. No. This year will be even better!

“The O.P Hairshow & Awards 2022 will undoubtedly be the event of the year and we are delighted to say that you are invited.

“Our differences are the most beautiful thing we have in common and here at Barber.josh.o.p Education we look to ensure that no matter who you are, what ‘category’ you fit into within our industry, that you are celebrated. That you have a place to come to learn, to grow, to network, to share, to laugh and to most importantly be fulfilled. We make it our mission to help every individual find what makes them fulfilled and build a life where they can maximise their fulfillment and in doing so maximise their success.” Head to barberjoshop.com to purchase your tickets and we’ll see you there!

On Monday, June 27, 2022 at Medinah Country Club, Andis was a featured hole partner at the outing where funds benefitted Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.  In just one day, over $1.2 million was raised and will go directly to the hospital.

As well as raising an incredible amount for charity, celebrities in attendance received Andis products including: the At Home inCRED Clipper, inEDGE Trimmer, reSURGE professional shaver, and the inLINER Corded Trimmer. 

Celebrity guests included: Kerry Wood, John Brotherton, Roger Clemens, Jim McMahon, Fred McGriff, Kenny Lofton, Kevin Butler, James “Big Cat” Williams, Brian McCaskey, Dan Pasqua, among many others. 

This past weekend (Sat Apr 9 – Monday, Apr 11) the SalonEVO and BarberEVO team packed their bags and took off to Chicago to attend the 99th annual America’s Beauty Show put on by Cosmetologists Chicago.

Beauty professionals, from barbers, cosmetologists, and beauty and skincare experts gathered for a weekend full of education, inspiration, demonstrations, networking, and of course, a little bit of fun too!

This year, EVO took their booth to the next level, offering attendees a unique opportunity at being on the coveted front cover of SalonEVO, with an incredible life-size, interactive, walk-in front cover photobooth. The EVO booth was also the spot to be if you wanted to learn from amazing educators, such as Miguel Rosas from Wahl Pro and Lici Febo from Andis who both performed live demos to an inspired audience.

The EVO front cover photo booth was graced by many of North America’s leading hair and beauty lights, such as the Ulta Beauty Pro Team, with Nick Stenson and Anna Manukyan, Danielle Keasling, David Lopez and Michelle O’Connor. As well as educators like the effervescent Kristin Kaide, Queen of the South, Nieves Almaraz and many, many more!

The team also had the enormous privilege of attending the 10th Annual Beauty Changes Lives Experience, which was an incredible night of fun, inspiration and education, bursting with industry icons all keen to support this wonderful charitable cause.

Thanks to all who stopped by and said hello! Until next year at ABS!

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Every day, children in South Florida are finding a passion for reading through an effort to put bookshelves in barbershops. According to The Children’s Trust, studies show that students who master reading are more successful throughout their academic and professional careers.

But, in Miami-Dade County, nearly half of all third-graders fail to read at basic grade level. A program is focused on changing these bleak numbers by exposing children to reading in a place they are likely to visit: the barbershop.

Small wooden shelves are brimming with children’s books like “The Moon Speaks, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Joy to the Worlds.” It’s an idea that’s a cut above the rest sparked by local author and Florida Memorial University professor Jefferson Noel.

“This is giving kids the opportunity to read books while waiting for a cut, then take the book home with them to build their own personal library,” he said.

Noel started Barbershop Speaks five years ago. It’s a group dedicated to encouraging enlightening conversation in the community and in the barbershop.  Since then, the program has expanded to include bookshelves.

“The reaction from the kids and the parents… it’s amazing,” said Dewis Avila, a barber at Cibao Barbershop in North Miami. “Me growing up, I always wanted a bookshelf at the house. We never had a bookshelf at the house. Now that we have it at the barbershop, it’s amazing.”

The project is in partnership with The Children’s Trust “Books for Free” program and the Kiwanis Club. They provide the books that are meant to expose young children to read in a place they are likely to visit.

“In Miami-Dade, right now nearly half of all third-graders are not able to read at a 3rd-grade level – which programs like this is so important,” said Michelle Lopez, media manager for The Children’s Trust.

There are now seven barbershops across Miami-Dade County with these special bookshelves, turning these shops into places of empowerment.

“They say, in the beginning, you are learning to read and then-once you do that and master that you can read to learn. We want to make sure that children have that early foundation,” said Diana Ragbeer Murray from the Kiwanis Club.

The rules on face coverings have been updated in England in light of the new Covid strain, Omicron. From today (November 30th), face coverings must be worn on premises providing personal care and beauty treatments. That includes barbers, hair salons, tattoo and piercing studios, nail salons and massage centres. 

More details will follow later today and BarberEVO will keep you updated with the latest announcements.

Judging has been done for the anticipated Fellowship Image of the Year Awards 2021–and the finalists in the five categories chosen.

The Fellowship for British Hairdressing was founded in 1946 as the Fellowship of Hair Artists of Great Britain and over the years has grown in stature and now covers many areas of the professional hairdressing industry. The independent, non-political organisation is run by our members, focusing on promoting artistic and creative quality, and providing support for future hairdressing talent keen to make their own mark in the industry. All the projects are designed to nurture skills and provide a career pathway – ClubStar, PROJECT: X, PROJECT: Colour and PROJECT: Men and the coveted F.A.M.E Team.

First launched in 1993, the prestigious awards have seen some of the most inspirational hairdressers clinch the title–and this year’s finalists can now be revealed!

Chancellor Ashleigh Hodges says: “This year we had another record amount of entries entered into our Image Awards and with two new categories, Afro and International, it was a very hard job for all our judges. As always, it’s a great way for our members to showcase their incredible work and I look forward to celebrating the winners in December at The Luncheon and Awards.”

The 2021 Finalists Image of the Year

Casey Coleman
Cos Sakkas
Emma Simmons
Karoliina Saunders
Melissa Timperley
Tracey Devine Smith

Colour Image of the Year

Adrian Hair London
Andrea Dorata
Ashley Gamble
Dorata Marlow
Goldworthy Hair
Hooker & Young

Afro Image of the Year

Anne Veck
Emma Simmons
Karoliina Saunders
Rick Roberts

Men’s Image of the Year

Caroline Sanderson
Charlie Cullen
Daniel Rymer
Sam Elliot

Snapshot Image of the Year

Brandon Messinger
Casey Coleman
Colin McAndrew
Efi Davies
Emma Vickery
Fatal Hairdresser

International Image of the Year

Danny Pato
Dee Parker Atwood
Jacky Chan
Jamie Furlan
Samij Hair
Shogoide Guchi

Tickets for the Luncheon and Awards are now on sale: www.fellowshiphair.com

Leaf Scissors have added to their sustainable line-up with four combs made from eco-friendly wheat straw, offering the market a more planet-friendly alternative to plastic. 

Combs and scissors go hand-in-hand for stylists, and as the industry’s most forward-thinking scissor brand, Leaf are proud to now be complementing their tools with a collection of sustainable combs for salon professionals.

Like traditional plastics, wheat straw is extremely lightweight and durable. However, unlike traditional plastics, wheat straw doesn’t require the use of damaging fossil fuels for production and instead puts to use a by-product which would otherwise go to waste. 

Straw is the by-product which is left over after a wheat harvest. It was traditionally burnt but is now being used to create a flexible new material. Raw wheat straw contains cellulose, which can be broken down to produce polymers. Plastic is made from artificial polymers, but polymers created from wheat straw are completely natural – and boast the same benefits. The production of wheat straw provides farmers with an additional source of income while reducing their carbon emissions, and wheat straw products are naturally anti-bacterial, anti-odour and 100% biodegradable – win, win!

Brand Ambassador Ky Wilson says, “Making more conscious and sustainable choices is so important to me and is exactly what drew me to working with Leaf Scissors, therefore I couldn’t be more excited for this new launch. Finding a durable but sustainable alternative to plastic combs is a dream come true, plus the general aesthetic and the packaging are beautiful to. I cannot wait to see these in the hands of hairdressers everywhere!” 

Leaf’s new collection includes a colour comb, detangling comb, tail comb and cutting comb. Plus, for every Complete Comb Set sold, Leaf will plant 20 trees, helping ensure that your purchase makes a positive difference to the planet. 

Brand Founder, Steve McManus, says “Leaf combs are the next step in our mission to make our company and industry more sustainable. The innovative use of a bi-product is key in the comb creation. We must continue to explore different ways of creating products and solutions for our customers that not only provide great products but have as little impact on the planet as possible. At last, a real alternative to the plastic combs we all use each and every day.” 

Complete Combs Set RRP £30.00 or individually for £10 each.

To explore the full range, product information and more insight into the brand, head to www.leafscissors.com. For more information on Leaf Education, visit www.leaf-academy.com.

To keep up with the latest news follow @leafscissors on Instagram or check out the #leafscissors hashtag.

Business consultant Phil Jackson from Build Your Salon believes it doesn’t have to be lonely as a salon owner!

With 20 years in the salon industry and a passion for innovation, Phil Jackson is an international business coach offering a unique perspective on the challenges of salon ownership. Phil works with many salons, barbershops, and spas around the world to build a business they can feel proud of, making sure they look outside the box and consider all aspects of the business.

Why is it our experience of running a business seems to be defined by feeling let down? Why IS it that you can’t seem to talk to your partner, other local business owners, or even your best friend about what’s going on in your business?

SO many salon owners turn to team members because they want to connect with someone who is in the business with them-someone that understands the day-to-day pressures we’re facing.

I’ve done it myself. Selected the Chosen One in my own team. The one who seemed to ‘get it’. That odd individual who stood apart from the rest of the crowd and I felt could be inducted into some kind of circle of trust. And they let me down.

Either left (how dare they?!) or failed to back me up (rude!) or committed some other flavour of salon treason.

But ultimately (as with everything) it’s your own fault. You see, they’ve built different muscles to you. Let me explain.

Physical muscle isn’t built through just ‘toning up’. To build a bigger muscle the fibres of the muscle need to be damaged or injured. Then your clever body builds a stronger, denser bit of muscle. So, what does that have to do with you as a salon business owner?

Well, every time someone quits, every time you deal with being let down by a supplier, every time you cope with a day from hell, you’re building entrepreneurial muscle.

Take complaints, for example; I remember vividly the first customer complaint I got. I recall sitting on the stairs at the salon and crying for pretty much a whole day. To be fair, I had given a customer a lousy haircut, but I’d done my best and I was devastated. I was in that horrible bit of our career where you’re newly qualified and building experience.

Then I got another complaint.

I was upset, but maybe not quite so much. And though I never wanted to get to the ‘water off a duck’s back’ stage, with each complaint the pain gets a little less. Why is that?

It’s because you’ve built a complaint-handling muscle. You’ve been damaged and repaired in a more resilient way.

So, all those things you deal with as a salon business owner are building your entrepreneurial muscles. Which is why nobody else gets you and your team can’t relate. Even if they see what you see, they have a different journey of growth. They’re not getting damaged and rebuilding like you are.

Lonely, isn’t it? But it doesn’t have to be. Lean into the industry. We’ve been through so much together that we can put the days of waspish competition behind us now. It’s time to build genuine industry connections. Join trade associations, attend events, hang out in industry networking groups online and build your new tribe.

The JVN haircare line is a collaboration between Amyris and Jonathan Van Ness: hairstylist, Emmy-nominated TV personality, New York Times best-selling author and podcaster. Jonathan Van Ness introduced JVN as a haircare line that see all beauty, serves all beauty, and honors the uniqueness in each person.

Before becoming a TV personality, author and podcaster, Jonathan worked as a professional hairstylist between Los Angeles and New York. His role on the hit TV show, Queer Eye, is to help both men and women build hair and skincare routines, and feel empowered by their grooming routines, to feel their most confident self.

The tagline for the JVN is “Come as you are.” Jonathan Van Ness said: “JVN allows everyone that uses it to find their best hair self, feel beautiful, and show the world that they can look better than ever while being confident in their choice to bring clean beauty to their hair.”  With this sentiment in mind, the JVN line is both gender and texture inclusive.

The JVN line also prides itself on having the most innovative and up-to-date ingredients, prioritizing the performance of its products. They have also made efforts to make the line as sustainable as possible, saying@ “We stand as allies with other mission-driven organizations, and find unexpected ways to take care of our community and the planet. JVN products are packaged in infinitely recyclable materials like aluminum and glass.”

For more info, go to jvnhair.com